Caught: Next-Gen Chevrolet Cruze Gets a Sonic Nose

Next Cruze Goes Smooth.

We caught another glimpse of the next-generation 2015 Chevrolet Cruze out testing. Our spy photos reveal that, as with the previous prototype we saw, this car's design appears inspired by that of a sibling within the Chevrolet brand -- the Sonic.

The next Chevrolet Cruze clearly takes cues from the Sonic sedan and hatchback, adopting that car's tapered nose, descending hood, narrow headlights, and deep vertical grille opening. The entire front end of the car is more sloped and aerodynamic than before, with a more swept-back windshield and curved roofline creating a very coupe-like silhouette. In fact, in profile the next Cruze bears a strong resemblance to the swoopy Dodge Dart.The door handles have moved notably farther up the body, closer to the windows. At the bottom of the doors, a crease that was previously parallel with the car's rocker panels now rises toward the rear of the car. The trunk lid is redesigned with an integrated spoiler, while new taillights appear to extend outside of the body. Overall, it looks like the next Chevrolet Cruze will be smoother and more rounded than the current model.

The redesigned Cruze will be built on an updated version of General Motors' Delta platform, which will also be used for the next Volt and Equinox. It's unclear what mechanical changes may be in store for the new car, but there's a small chance it could adopt the new nine-speed front-wheel-drive automatic transmission under development. That would boost fuel economy compared to the car's current six-speed auto.The Chevrolet Cruze is a true global product line, so it's possible that the new car will launch in Asia and in Australia as a Holden before arriving on our shores. Expect it to debut some time next year as a 2015 model.

Routinely one of GM's best-selling vehicle in the U.S., the Cruze has sold 55,731 sold so far in 2013 and a total of 237,758 sold in 2012. The car will continue to be built in Lordstown, Ohio; GM announced last August that it would spend $220 million to ready the Lordstown facility and the nearby Parma stamping plant to build the next-gen Cruze.

The Cruze should look neither like a Sonic nor an Impala. It's a Cruze, its own model, and should incorporate some family styling cues and still stand on its own visually. The sportier shape and styling visible on this test mule are a good start but it needs to appear more upscale than its smaller siblings. Most importantly, they need to create a wagon and hatch variant that doesn't look like a drunken afterthought if they really want it to be a global player. They also need to reconsider what Americans really want, and offer more body styles here as well. Most of its direct c-segment competitors offer more variants than just a sedan in the states. Honda offers a coupe, Ford has a hatch, Hyundai & Kia offer both, while Toyota offers the Matrix wagon along side the Corolla. If they want to compete, they need to think outside their sedan comfort zone.

They need to go for the swooping grill form the impala. The compact car class is supposed to look like bigger cars. Keep the sonic the way it is. Its looks are good for what it is, but make this elegant like the impala

Current car is pretty good looking for what it is, and will look OK for years to come. The swept back headlights on the current car look out of place but they've grown on me. 2015 version has huge C-pillars.

I would like to see an impala/SS style grille on the new cruze. I am not a fan of these new swoopy windshields. Maybe it will grow on me and at least its not as bad as the civics. I hope they keep improving the interior as the current one is great. I would love to see a coupe variant. Doesnt have to be a cruze coupe, they could give it a whole dif look and name. I would also like to see more sport models. an rs with 180 hp and an ss with 255 hp and hyperstrut suspension. The last Cobalt SS got so much praise, they need to duplicate that.

I hope they don't go with the crossbar grill for the new cruze, they are already ditching that on the Malibu because it is starting to look old. But if they don't bring the hatchback to the States I don't care anyway because I won't even consider the sedan.

What I see in this design is that of a carbon copy of the 2008 Honda Civic, shape wise. As for the front it does look like both the Volt and Sonic. The rear tail lights looks as though the shape is like those of Hyundai or even the Subaru Imprezza hatch back from 2010. But remember now, this is not the final product and we see Chevrolet drifting away from the bow tie bar with 2 grill look. They are blending all models to conform with the Impala grill, that many have said looks like the Honda Odyssey grill. What is good to see is that Chevrolet is not letting their designs stay boring for a long period like before they went bankrupt.

Now the only part of the Sonic that I am a fan of is that each headlight is housed individually and not by a larger piece that covers the whole thing. That's it though. I hope the Cruze doesn't follow that design as well because I'm not the biggest fan of it and I believe Chevy could do a lot more for the vehicle. I cannot wait to see the next-gen Cruze a little more "naked" so we can see more of it.

I thought it bore a strong resemblance to the Volt, not the Dart. After reading that it's on the same platform it made sense. I think you'll see the Volt and Cruze become very similar with the only real difference being if you want electric or not. Well, and price obviously.

@jaylovescarsI agree with your entire post.
The Cobalt SS Turbo hit 60mph in 5.5sec, which is quicker than
everything in this class besides the AWD WRX. Give the Cruze SS "no-lift
shift", cut as much weight as possible, magnetic ride control as an
option and Chevy would have a class leader. I really don't know why GM hasn't given this the green light yet.

@AmericanGangster The same taillights as the current Cruze, really? They are really the only thing I don't like about the current model. They are loopy and weird shaped, I think they would look better squared off like what they did with the 2013 Traverse taillights